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How to feel like a kid again

~ pmglasser ~ 1 Comment

The “Happiest Place on Earth” was a welcome respite during the war in Ukraine. Nataliya and I had originally planned to go to Disney World back in 2020, but the trip was delayed until earlier this year (April 2022). However, Nataliya especially needed a chance to recuperate after enduring the first six weeks of Russia’s invasion of her homeland, Ukraine (the war has lasted 6 months as of publication). In fact, the day before we left, we had helped bake hundreds of pierogis that would be served at the initial Ukrainian Food Festival. Plus, I had also been laid off shortly before we departed, although I quickly found a new job after returning home.

Day 1 – Hollywood Studios & Galaxy’s Edge

Our flight landed in Orlando at 11:30 a.m., and we hoped we could make it our first destination, Hollywood Studios, by about 1 p.m. That proved to be hopelessly optimistic! We had rented a car through the Nu rental agency, which was located a short distance from the airport. But we didn’t expect a long delay since they supposedly offered “regular” shuttle service. Instead, we ended up waiting more than an hour and ultimately took an $20 Uber ride instead! Not once, but TWICE the bus stopped but refused to pick us up because the van was full. The passengers offered to make room for us, but the driver still refused to let us on. Then, the driver had the gall to call us impatient because we started to complain about being left behind yet again! With nearly 2,500 reviews on Google, the 2.3/5 rating is well deserved! I strongly advise against using Nu rentals, especially if you’re in a hurry! Out of desperation, I ordered an Uber, but then we spent another 20 minutes wandering around trying to find the pickup spot. The driver was extremely patient and helpful, so I gave him a 50% tip out of gratitude.

We finally arrived at Hollywood Studios at 3 p.m. which was two hours later than our expectation. I fondly remember Hollywood Studios from my first visit some 30 years ago. Rather than heading straight to Galaxy’s Edge, as one might have expected me to do, the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular (debuted 1989) was our first stop since we arrived late in the afternoon and only one performance remained. I remembered the show fondly from my childhood and was not disappointed! I had a grin from ear to ear as I watched Indiana and Marion recreate exciting scenes from the movie. Not much had changed in 30 years, excepted the Nazi swastikas had been replaced. The iconic escape from the giant rolling boulder and the exciting battle at the Nazi airbase were my favorite parts. With a runtime of 25 minutes, the show was well worth the very brief wait (due to our Lightning Lane access). I was already starting to feel like a kid again!

Before hustling over to Galaxy’s Edge, we made one final side-trip down nostalgia lane to the updated Star Tours ride (debuted 1987). While the Indiana Jones stunt show had been mostly unchanged for 30 years, Star Tours had undergone a complete overhaul in 2011. However, the entrance and experience while waiting in line still included R2-D2 and C-3PO who I fondly remembered. On the other hand, the actual ride experience was completely different with an entirely new story line and modern 3-D technology. At less than 5 minutes, the ride was extremely fast paced but well worth it due to the short line. I left feeling a little queasy but that’s not surprising, since it doesn’t take much to make me start feeling motion sick.

Finally, we raced over to Galaxy’s Edge where we were not disappointed! We headed straight to the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run (debuted 2019) ride which turned out to be my favorite attraction from the whole trip. The life-size Millennium Falcon outside really set the tone, and the interior was completely convincing! I felt like I was really aboard the iconic ship. I definitely wanted to be a pilot as opposed to a gunner or mechanic. Six people can ride together (2 for each crew position), and fortunately the other participants were a single mom and her two very young children who were content to be engineers.

Giddy with anticipation, I settled into one of the pilot’s seats with Alex, Nataliya’s son, as my co-pilot. The controls were somewhat awkward with Alex only controlling the left/right maneuvers, and I could only maneuver up/down so it took us a while to start working together effectively. In addition, the music and sound effects were very loud which made it difficult for us to communicate and coordinate. Nevertheless, we managed to complete our mission without turning the beloved Falcon into a wreck! Nataliya, Alex, and I had taken several trips together before, but this made me feel like we were really becoming a family, even though Alex is only a lukewarm Star Wars fan. Nevertheless, I still felt it was a turning point, even if Alex didn’t notice. Although the ride amounted to little more than a giant video arcade game, it resonated with me more than Rise of the Resistance (Day 3). The experience can also be different each time depending on how well you perform, and a near disaster might leave the trusty Falcon clanking and sparking as you exit. This was a life-long dream come true! Although Alex is 13 years old, I felt like a little kid again!

By this point, it was late in the day, so we ordered a carry-out dinner from Docking Bay 7. This was a very convenient feature from the Genie app, in addition to the Lightning Lane option which lets you skip long lines. Nataliya and I had the smoked Kaadu pork ribs which were delicious, although I swapped out rice and broccoli for the corn muffin and cabbage slaw. It was tasty although a little too spicy for Nataliya’s taste. Alex had the fried Endorian yip-tip (fried chicken) with mac and cheese. Alex, a notoriously picky eater, hardly touched the fried chicken, which came in two large cubes, but still raves to this day about the mac and cheese. That says a lot coming from a mac and cheese connoisseur like Alex! We had Outpost puffs for dessert which were also pretty tasty although Nataliya and I easily shared one. We ate in the small courtyard outside, and, although Nataliya complained about the incessant Star Wars-inspired muzak, I quite enjoyed it. The food was a little pricey, but the portions were large.

Kaadu Pork Ribs
Outpost puffs and Yip-Tip

After dinner, we briefly explored the rest of Galaxy’s Edge since it had been a long day of traveling. Perhaps most surprising of all, we managed to wander through the Black Spire market without spending any more credits. I had considered making a reservation at the droid depot or lightsaber workshop but felt I couldn’t really justify $100 for a droid or $200 for a lightsaber. Although we had been there for about 4 hours (instead of 6 like we hoped), we got to see most of what we wanted to see, but I came back later in the week for the “piece de resistance” (pun intended).

Day 2 – Cocoa Beach

We had planned to mix in a couple “off” days to recuperate from the theme parks, so we spent the second day at Cocoa Beach (about an hour from our off-site hotel). We got a late start before heading out. We had considered visiting the Kennedy Space Center too but decided to just lounge on the beach all afternoon. I’m not much of a beach bum, but the beaches were nice, and I did enjoy relaxing (except when Alex, who is not a strong swimmer, defiantly insisted on swimming too far out into the waves)! We had dinner at the Boardwalk Bar on the Cocoa Beach Pier and grabbed dessert from Coney Island Hot Dogs. The pier offers a great view of the beach and the ocean. It was definitely a good idea to take a break from the parks, and I very felt refreshed.

Day 3 – Epcot & Galaxy’s Edge Redux

We started our third day at EPCOT which was fun but not really a highlight for me. There were some interesting displays and lots of neat architectural exhibits, but I wasn’t impressed since I prefer to visit Paris itself (not a copy). We did have a tasty pretzel sandwich with cheese and ham. However, Alex started to get a little tired and grouchy at lunch (frankly I was surprised he coped so well for as long as he did). After lunch, we split up: Nataliya and Alex went to the Animal Kingdom, and I went back to Galaxy’s Edge. Then we planned to meet back up at the nightly fireworks show at EPCOT.

I expected to spend the majority of the afternoon waiting in line for the Rise of Resistance ride (debuted 2019), and my estimate was spot-on. As I walked up to the queue, I learned the ride was out of commission, so I spent 30 minutes exploring parts of the Black Spire outpost that I had only seen at a passing glance previously. I was lucky enough to see some of First Order stormtroopers patrol. After the queue began moving again, I got back in line for Rise of the Resistance. I’m not really a fan of the new sequel trilogy, but the ride seemed to be very popular, and I thought I should give it a try since I had free time.

I had tried to plan ahead for a long wait by bringing a portable battery to recharge my phone, but I didn’t bring the right adapter with me. So instead of listening to a Star Wars audiobook, I ended up waiting aimlessly for more than 3 hours. Thankfully, most of the queue was shaded, but there weren’t any bathrooms along the way. I suggest you plan very strategically – avoid drinking lots of water beforehand, otherwise you’ll have to go all the way back out and hope your former neighbors will let you reclaim your spot in line! My neighbors frequently complained about people barging their way through the line in an apparent attempt to do just that. There were some interesting displays of various Star Wars equipment and blasters as we slowly inched through underground tunnels, but you definitely need to be prepared for a long wait and bring some books or other entertainment with you (especially if you have small children). The ride broke down once while I was in line, and apparently the ride suffers at least 3 mechanical faults every day!

Eventually, we reached an underground briefing room where a holographic image of Rey gave us a mission. We then boarded a small shuttle which launched and was immediately ambushed by the First Order. We were captured and brought aboard a First Order star destroyer, which, much to my disappointment, contained yet another queue (just when we thought we were done with all that)! There were several cast members dressed as First Order officers who “interrogated” some of the “prisoners” while we waited to be assigned to a detention cell. That was a neat touch and really created a sense of immersion. Then, we waited inside the prison for awhile until we heard some faint voices and suspicious noises.

Lucky for me, I was standing right next to the spot were a door suddenly slid open as Resistance agents appeared to “rescue” us. They ushered us onto to droid-controlled carts which we rode as we raced throughout the star destroyer. The experience was more of a special effects extravaganza as opposed to a true thriller ride with lots of stormtroopers shooting at us and Kylo Ren pursing us. There was one short swift lift upward that provided a brief rush and a corresponding sharp drop at the end, but otherwise we zipped across mostly level ground. Occasionally we swerved or spun around, but the emphasis was on all the visual and sound effects. It was definitely the closest experience you can find to actually being in a Star Wars movie, but the ride itself lasted less than 5 minutes. RFID technology allows the carts to navigate without using tracks. Other features include audio-animatronic figures and motion simulators – with thousands riding Rise of the Resistance each day, it’s no wonder such a complex system breaks down every couple of hours!

Disney claims the ride lasts an average of 18 minutes, but that misleadingly includes the preliminary briefing and brief introduction on the shuttle (before the final queue). Again, I’m not a huge fan of the sequel trilogy so it might be a higher priority if you’re more interested in the new canon. Otherwise, I’d say its your judgement if you think it’s worth a 3+ hour wait during peak hours. I ended up waiting about 3.5 hours and the ride broke down a third time right after I exited. The wait times can be a mere 2 hours later in the evening, or you can try to purchase special Lighting Lane access for an additional $15 (not included in the regular Lightning Lane price). However, there’s a daily quota of special Lightning Lane slots for Rise of the Resistance which usually sell out as soon as the park opens so don’t count on that option. Otherwise, be prepared to settle in for a long haul!

By the time I escaped from the clutches of Kylo Ren, I was pretty hungry, so I ordered another carry-out dinner from Docking Bay 7. This time I picked the Batuuan beef stir fry, which was also pretty good, although the meat came in two huge cubes again.

My misadventures weren’t over yet! By this point, my cellphone was almost out of power, so I wasn’t able to call or text Nataliya to coordinate our rendezvous at the fireworks. I searched for a charging station but ended up having to buy another portable battery for $30 from a special Disney-approved vending machine. I thought it was better to be safe than sorry since the sun had already set, and I was not at all confident of my ability to find Nataliya and Alex in a large nighttime crowd at the fireworks display. Of course, I literally bumped into Nataliya as soon as I stepped out of the shop that sold the chargers.

The fireworks display was pretty impressive with synchronized music and lights. Afterwards, we trudged back out to our car (we didn’t pay extra for $25 for a closer spot), and we slept very soundly after walking all day. This was our last day at Disney, but we covered most of what we wanted to see since we paid extra for park hopper tickets. Splitting up on the second day was also a good idea.

Disney World is much more complicated than when I had last visited some 30 years ago. All the new technology is intended to make things easier, but it was pretty confusing even though I consider myself a reasonably intelligent person. The Genie app tries to create a personalized itinerary, but we found that to be pretty useless. On the other hand, the ability to pre-order carry-out meals was very useful. The additional $15 per day for the Genie+ service was definitely worth it, and we used it to book Lightning Lane privileges for several attractions which made it much easier for us to squeeze in the maximum amount of fun on our first day at Disney (which was limited by our late arrival). But Lightning Lane doesn’t include every attraction and some, such as Rise of the Resistance, require a separate Lightning Lane pass for an additional fee (another $15). Maybe you’re starting to see what I mean about the technological complexity? You even need to make “reservations” for specific parks on specific days after you buy your tickets, which is a relatively new change introduced in 2020 after the pandemic.

However, I was somewhat disappointed that we didn’t get the chance to experience the Star Wars virtual reality game at the Disney Springs shopping center in the resort area. It looked like a lot of fun, but unfortunately the business collapsed during the pandemic and didn’t reopen. However, there were reports earlier this year that the firm might relaunch, and I would love to try it!

Overall, I had a great time at Disney, and I wouldn’t mind going back again – especially for a few more flights on the Millennium Falcon! However, even if we do go back, I don’t think I’ll sign up for the Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser experience. I might be interested if the price were considerably lower, but at $1,200 per person per night that’s $4,800 for two people since it’s a 2-night itinerary. It’s an immersive experience on a Halcyon starcruiser, with some fun activities including sabaac lessons (gambling), lightsaber training, and flight crew training. The food on the menu looks like it could have come right out of the Mos Eisley cantina, and Disney cast members act out adventures onboard the ship. But so far, reviews are mixed, and with more than 160 reviews on Google the Galactic starcruiser only scores an average of 3.8/5. People have complained about trying to complete the app-based activities and the small size of the rooms. But I’ll give it a try if we ever win the lottery!

This might sound odd, but I was annoyed that tipping ISN’T allowed at Disney or Universal, except for certain resort positions in hotels or sit-down restaurants. Disney and Universal raised the minimum wage to $15 in 2021, but Orlando still faces a housing affordability crisis and a lack of public transportation. I should have the option to tip the cast members selling drinks or ice cream on a hot day, or the Stormtroopers who are stuck in unbearably uncomfortable outfits in the blazing sun! But if did try to tip them, they might be fired. To assuage my guilt after returning home, I donated to a food bank that specifically serves Disney cast members in need. It’s ridiculous that I’m not allowed to tip when cast members still struggle to make ends meet in an expensive city like Orlando.

Day 4 – Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures

We took another day off from the parks and slept in before heading about 45 minutes south to Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures on Lake Tohopekaliga (the name means “we will gather here” in Seminole) near Kissimmee. We had a small discount from a brochure and booked 30-minute tours for about $30 each. Boggy Creek also offers hour-long tours, as well as sunset and evening options. You can pay a little extra to add on a few other activities offered at Boggy Creek, such as sifting for fossils and gems at the “mine” or feeding the alligators at the gator pen. Boggy Creek also offers a small BBQ restaurant and a recreation of a “village” of the local Jororo tribe. However, the website refers to the Jororo as a “primitive” people which is condescending and misleading.

Nevertheless, we enjoyed our 30-minute airboat tour despite a delay due to a technical problem. Our pilot was very knowledgeable and showed us a couple of alligator nests. It turns out we went at just the right time, because our pilot said the alligators would soon start to abandon their nests and be much harder to locate. Our pilot said he got to know the alligators individually since he visited them so often. It was a wonderfully relaxing trip out on the lake which, aside from the giant airboat fan, was very quiet and calm compared to the blaring noises and crowds of Disney. We also saw a few birds including a wood stork.

On the way home, we stopped at the World Food Truck park in Kissimmee which features more than 50 different vendors, including burgers, donuts, Chinese, wings, and pizza as well as numerous Latin American options. I wanted to try the Venezuelan food truck, but it was closed so I ended up with a large fried plantain sandwich (patacon). Nataliya ordered a giant surf and turf dish with beef, shrimp, and plantains. It was all delicious and cheap, so we had lots of leftovers.
Patacon

Day 5 – Universal Studios & Hogwarts

Nataliya loves Harry Potter so we couldn’t leave Orlando without visiting Universal Studio’s Wizarding World! Our first stop was the Men in Black: Alien Attack ride (debuted in 2000). I had enjoyed the first movie when it came out and the ride was pretty entertaining! The line was long but moved pretty quickly, and there were several interesting displays to distract us while we waited, including various video messages from Chief Zed and weapons exhibits. It was definitely one of the best in-line experiences we had at any park.

All three of us managed arranged to sit together, so we strapped ourselves into our cart and started with a training session. Quickly though, we were dispatched to blast numerous invading aliens who swarmed over New York City. Some of them were pretty small targets, and aliens also suddenly appeared out of nowhere! A surprise twist in the middle of the ride had us battling another cart full of riders before we used our secret weapon to defeat a huge animatronic alien in the dramatic finale! I scored “cosmically average” which I felt was a good accomplishment for a rookie. There are several different endings depending on how well you and your partners score, but I don’t think our team made the cut to be MIB unfortunately!

Next, we visited E.T. Adventure (debuted 1991) which is based on the beloved movie from my childhood! First, we received our “interplanetary passports” (a laminated card with a barcode that corresponds to each rider’s first name) and sat down on our bicycle seats which was a unique change. The bikes are attached to a platform that is suspended beneath an overhead rail.

The ride starts with the dramatic escape at the end of the movie as we flew over police cars and NASA officials. Then, we were transported to E.T.’s home world, the Green Planet, where we helped him restore the environment. At the end of the ride, E.T. thanked us all by name (using the barcode passports). Built in 1991,  the ride was refurbished in 2017. It’s a charming and nostalgic experience as opposed to thrilling.

For our next ride, we picked Skull Island: Reign of Kong (debuted 2016). I’ve never seen the movie, but the ride was pretty fun and features 3D graphics. The wait was only about 30 or 40 minutes. We grabbed our 3D glasses as we boarded our trucks which are “driven” by animatronic figures. There are several different driver personas so you can have slightly different experiences on each ride.

The truck was attacked by various bat-like monsters and dinosaurs as we tried to rescue an explorer that was kidnapped by the creatures. One of the most memorable moments for me was when a dinosaur splashed into a pool of water and real water droplets were sprayed into the truck! It was a pretty neat effect that was very realistic. Suddenly, Kong interrupted the attack and began fighting the vicious dinosaurs! Unfortunately, the truck was knocked off the road, and we took a frightening tumble over the cliffside before Kong saved us again.

Alex loves rollercoasters and took a ride on the Velocicoaster (debuted 2021) while Nataliya and I opted for a break. Although it’s one of the newest attractions in the park, the wait was less than an hour. The ride features top speeds of 70 mph and a zero-g stall zone. The sharpest drop is 140 feet – definitely not for the faint of heart! Alex seemed a little disappointed with the ride and said the seat was very uncomfortable.

Next, we stopped at Poseidon’s Fury (debuted 1999) which is a special effects show set in the Temple of Poseidon (the Greek god of the sea). Alex loves ancient mythology and I love Indiana Jones adventures, so we thought it might be fun. But in the end, it was probably the least impressive attraction we experienced at Universal Studios. The line was very short which was one positive aspect of the experience, so we didn’t have to wait inside the poorly lit, damp tunnels too long. A barrage of special effects was unleashed as we were guided through the temple, including fireballs, swirling whirlpools, and laser blasts. It wasn’t necessarily a bad experience, but it just didn’t compare to the other attractions in the park. Afterwards, we stopped for a snack at the nearby Desert Kebab House, which features a Mediterranean inspired menu with pork, chicken, beef, and vegan options. However, Alex is a very picky eater and vehemently avoids anything with even a hint of flavor, so the grill gave us one chicken kebab without any sauce for Alex. He eventually ate it since we were all pretty hungry by then. But the kebabs had a delicious North African chermoula sauce which had a lot of flavor but wasn’t too spicy.

After taking a break to digest and recuperate, we caught the last performance of the Jason Bourne Stuntacular (debuted 2017). I loved the movies, so I was looking forward to it and was not disappointed! The line moved very quickly, and the lobby included exhibits of authentic movie props such as the iconic red Mini Cooper from the original “Bourne Identity” film. The spectacular includes both live action stunts and computer-generated graphics that blend together almost seamlessly on the screens that are 130 feet wide and 28 feet tall! In 20 minutes, Bourne is chased through numerous exotic locations, including Tangiers, Morocco, and Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. This high-tech production makes it really feel like Bourne is racing across the stage in a motorcycle while police cars chase him. Compared to the Indiana Jones stunt show, Jason Bourne came in a very close second. Indiana Jones has a special place in my childhood, and I prefer the traditional stunt methods as opposed to relying on CGI (as impressive as it may be).

By now, it was starting to get dark, and we grabbed a couple sweet treats before the seasonal Mardi Gras parade started. Since I’m a Francophile, I couldn’t afford to pass up an opportunity to try the giant crepes. We picked the lemon blueberry but had to wait at least 15 minutes since the line was pretty long. They also offer strawberry hazelnut and cookies & cream varieties, as well as several savory options (including vegan).  The crepe was overloaded with lemon mascarpone, blueberries, lemon curd, whipped cream, lemon poundcake, AND powered sugar! It was too much for one person, but I shared it with Nataliya.

Although we were visiting in mid-April, Universal Studios stretches their Mardi Gras celebration out almost until the end of the month (which slightly irked me since it was about two months overdue). However, it was a lot of fun since I’ve never been to the real celebration! You can actually ride one of the floats by either buying an annual pass or waiting in line. There were dozens of garish, gaudy floats with traditional Mardi Gras themes, as well as novel ideas including rockets, volcanoes, and industry. There were lots of dancers and stilt walkers, and Alex and I both caught lots of beads! Nataliya said it was her favorite moment from the trip as she watched us run and jump around trying to catch more. Indeed, it was another moment where we felt very familial. As the music died down and the clouds of confetti settled on the ground, we took another break. The parade also generates a tremendous amount of trash each night, between the confetti and beads, on top of all the regular debris!

Although the sun had set by this point, Alex insisted on riding another rollercoaster before we left, and he picked the Rip Ride Rockit (debuted 2009). It features a vertical climb and a near vertical drop from nearly 170 feet. The coaster also has a rock and roll theme so riders can pick a song to listen to during the ride (there’s also a “secret” track listing you can unlock as well). However, Alex said he couldn’t figure out the controls. I hate rollercoasters and just looking at Rip Ride Rockit made me feel nervous, so I looked the other way until Alex came back. He insisted the ride wasn’t as bad as it looked, even though it reaches speeds of up to 65 mph!

Afterwards, we finally boarded the Hogwarts Express (debuted 2014) and headed towards Hogsmeade! I read a few of the Harry Potter books, but Nataliya is the real fan. We eventually hopped aboard the iconic Hogwarts Express (after twice being turned away by a 45+ minute wait) which was more entertaining than thrilling; however, it was an excellent technical showcase. The express is also a convenient way of traveling around the park as well, but you could find yourself waiting awhile for a seat. It began to rain so we put on our ponchos and caught the very end of the nightly light show at Hogwarts Castle. The light show was pretty impressive, but I think I preferred the Disney show. Afterwards, we trudged through the rain all the way back to our car. Given the mass exodus, I thought we might be stuck in traffic for a while, but it actually flowed very smoothly.

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Overall, I enjoyed Universal Studios although it was much louder and more energetic than Disney. Universal felt more like an amusement park environment with rollercoasters and loud music. The Bourne Stuntacular was my favorite part, but nothing can really compete with Galaxy’s Edge! However, Universal Studios definitely offers more thrilling rides and is a fun alternative if you’re burned out spending all day every day at Disney! I think our itinerary worked out perfectly since we took time off to recuperate in between parks.

150 Days of War in Ukraine & Our Next Fundraising Goal of $50,000

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Nataliya’s brother Michael finally left Ukraine last month and arrived in Israel several weeks ago after a brief stopover in Hungary. Since Michael was still young enough to be conscripted into the Ukrainian armed forces, he had to get special permission to leave after proving he was the sole breadwinner for his family, which includes his non-verbal autistic son. In May, Michael’s family fled to western Ukraine after withstanding rocket and artillery bombardment in the eastern city of Kharkiv for nearly 3 months. They went to Hungary in June and then sought permission to travel to Israel since his wife had Jewish ancestors.

Since the war began, more than 33,000 Ukrainian refugees have fled to Israel including Jews and gentiles. Michael’s family was eligible for several generous assistance programs since they were coming back under the Right to Return policy. The Israeli government gave Michael’s family some money and temporary housing until they found an apartment in a town in northern Israel near Haifa. Michael isn’t sure what their long terms plans are but is grateful for the generous suppport. He continues to work remotely for an American technology company.

However, that leaves Nataliya’s parents as the last holdouts in Kharkiv. They live in a small village on the edge of the city. Although the urban parts of Kharkiv may have borne the brunt of the Russian assault, rockets still destroyed several buildings, including the town hall, in her parent’s village. Nataliya’s aunt and uncle also lived on the same plot of land as her parents, but they also recently left for the Netherlands. Nataliya’s cousin lives there and just gave birth to a baby boy, so her parents came to help her and escape the fighting.

Nataliya’s mother Iryna feels conflicted about all the changes. She is happy for her relatives but now feels very lonely. In addition, Nataliya’s aunt and uncle asked Iryna to care for several animals they left behind. Iryna is happy to help but feels it’s an extra burden on top of everything else when life is still difficult, and the war drags on with no end in sight.

I am heartbroken that fighting continues in Ukraine, but I have also been pleasantly surprised by the ongoing generosity of Cincinnatians who continue to donate after more than 5 months of conflict.

I had hoped that Americans would not become totally desensitized to the war, but I wasn’t sure that they would continue to volunteer and contribute for months on end. Although the Ukrainian food festival in May was a huge hit that raised $36,000, there were some logistical problems that caused a shortage of parking and created very long lines. We have learned from our previous experience and are hosting our next event, a summer family festival, at the Kolping Center, a large event center in the Greenhills neighborhood. This time, the goal is to raise the heroic sum of $50,000 to buy medical equipment for hospitals in Nataliya’s hometown of Kharkiv which is still under Russian bombardment on a regular basis.

The event will be from 12-7p.m. on Sunday, August 21, since Ukraine celebrates its independence on August 24th. The event will include more food of course, as well as kids’ activities, arts and crafts, music, and a silent auction.

In addition, there have been several other successful local events that benefitted Ukraine, including a banquet and auction at the Woodward theater in Over-the-Rhine. Several dozen attended the event in June, which raised more than $14,000 for the charity Razom which provides humanitarian aid. The menu featured traditional Ukrainian dishes including borscht (stew), varenyky (pierogi/dumplings), and banyky (stuffed rolls). The event also included a silent auction and Nataliya and I won tickets to the Museum Center. However, the fashion show featuring traditional Ukrainian vyshyvanka (embroidered shirts) was the highlight of the fundraiser. Nataliya has been embroidering her own example, which is beautiful, but the event showcased dozens of examples that were also very intricate. The vyshyvanka at the fundraiser were also auctioned off to the highest bidder and Nataliya got one at a very nice price.

Finally, Yuriy Fedynsky, a Ukrainian-American composer and singer-songwriter performed at the Wyoming Fine Arts Center in June. He gave a very verbose and meandering lecture on the war in the Ukraine and the history of traditional Ukrainian instruments such as the bandura and kobza (both a type of lute). He also explained how the Soviets had purged and executed nearly all of the kobzars (itinerant blind musicians who played the kobza) during the 1930s. He also played a few songs, but I was expecting a little more music and less preaching (literally). Nevertheless, it was an educational event that helped raise money for Fedynsky’s efforts to promote Ukrainian culture. Slava Ukraini!

90 Days of War in Kharkiv, Ukraine & a Wildly Successful Fundraiser

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If the local Ukrainian food festival raised $5,000 or even $10,000, I thought that would be very successful. In my dreams, I hoped we could reach $15,000 or $20,000, but in the end, we raised an unbelievable $36,000!

The organizers, Cincy4Ukraine and Hope4Ukraine, bought and fully equipped a Mercedes Benz Sprinter ambulance which has already been shipped to Ukraine where it will help save lives. The remaining $7,000 will purchase additional medical supplies.

The event was held last month at the United Church of Christ on Fleming Road. When I arrived at about 12:30 p.m., the church parking lot was already full. A traffic jam quickly developed as cars started to search for parking on nearby side streets. A long line of eager supporters quickly formed and snaked across the parking lot. Unfortunately, the line moved slowly but most people were very patient despite the long wait. Despite the logistic problems, the day was a smashing success!

Grilling sashlik.
Varenyky (pierogi)
Nalesniki

The menu included: grilled kebabs (sashlik), beet soup (borscht), stuffed cabbage rolls (holubtsi), dumplings stuffed with potatoes (varenyky also called pierogis), cheese crepes (nalesniki), and many other tasty treats! The preparations began weeks earlier, and Nataliya and I helped bake pierogis and nalesniki. The nalesniki were filled with lemon flavored cottage cheese which was delicious! Numerous desserts were also available.

Bandura performance.
Ukrainian dancer.
Georgian dancers (European).

The event also included kids’ activities, a gift shop, and several different performances, including  singers, dancers,  and a musician with a bandura (Ukrainian instrument similar to a guitar)! It was very powerful and rewarding to see the community come together and make such a significant contribution to aid Ukraine. It also felt comforting to know that we could make a difference on an individual level to alleviate a tiny fraction of the suffering that Putin continues to inflict on innocent Ukrainians.

Indeed, Ukraine continues to suffer. But after nearly 3 months of fighting, Ukrainian forces recently launched a counterattack near Kharkiv, Nataliya’s hometown, that has pushed Russian forces all the way back to the border (nearly 30 miles) although some Russians remain to the east of the city. Russian troops attacked Kharkiv at the outset of the war but failed to capture the city and laid siege to it for nearly 3 months. The Russians never completely encircled the city either.

The successful Ukrainian counterattack shows they can still go on the offensive and retake significant territory. It also highlights the total incompetence and impotence of the Putin’s armed forces. By concentrating on eastern Ukraine, Putin seems to have left himself vulnerable on his flanks. Putin has only captured 2 major cities since the war began: Melitopol (150,000 pop.) and Kherson (289,000 pop.) , as well as the ruins of Mariupol (formerly 446,00 pop.). These meager victories have come at a staggering cost of up to 25,000 Russian and separatist casualties (killed, wounded, and missing).

Nataliya’s parents live in a village on the western outskirts of Kharkiv and say the Ukrainian counterattack has pushed the frontlines away from them. Their village had been subject to sporadic rocket or artillery fire when the Russians were closer, but now they only hear explosions in the distance. Previously, it had been very difficult to obtain food or money, but the bank and a few shops have reopened. We chatted over FaceTime recently and Iryna, Nataliya’s mother, said things were much better now.

Nataliya’s brother Michael fled Kharkiv a few weeks before the Ukrainian counteroffensive. He drove his wife, who has never lived anywhere outside of Kharkiv, and 5-year-old son to a small town in western Ukraine where they rented a condo. Nataliya and I were relieved, even though we thought they should have left long before then! Although the Ukrainian counterattack helped relieve some of the pressure on Kharkiv, officials have warned residents not to return. Nevertheless, as many as 2,000 residents a day are returning.

After nearly 3 months of continuous bombardment, the city has been devastated. Kharkiv is Cincinnati’s sister city and was Ukraine’s 2nd largest city. Once known for its museums and architectural heritage, more than 1,500 buildings have been damaged or destroyed, including dozens of historic landmarks. More than 600 local residents were killed by the barrage of Russian rockets and artillery, including indiscriminate cluster munitions (with which targeting cities is illegal and immoral).

It will take years to rebuild, and the Ukrainians will never forget or forgive the atrocities that have been committed. Restitution can begin by seizing Russian assets and forfeiting them to Ukraine (even though it may only amount to a drop in the bucket). Slava Ukraini!

30 days of war in Kharkiv, Ukraine: The Good, The Not-So Bad, & The Ugly

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The Ugly:

I’ll start with the worst information and end with the most encouraging news. At least 500,000 residents have fled Kharkiv, once Ukraine’s 2nd largest city, including Stepan – Ukraine’s most famous Instagram cat (link). A few animals from the beleaguered zoo have also been evacuated through intrepid efforts (link).

Many other residents have not been so lucky: dozens of people are killed every day by the barrage of Russian missiles, bombs, and rockets that bombard the city. You can see comparative satellite photos of the before and after damage here. You can drag the slider left or right (link).

Only 25 miles from the Russian border, the Ukrainian defenders have delivered a humiliating defeat to Putin by holding on to Kharkiv for a month. Russian forces have only partially encircled the city which continues to hold out. The Russians launched an attack on Kharkiv at the outset of the war, but, after the initial attack failed, the Russians have decided to mercilessly pound the city with rockets and artillery. Hundreds of buildings have been destroyed (link). But, it seems unlikely the city will fall anytime soon, since Ukrainian troops claim to have recaptured a village outside Kharkiv.

The Russians have also used cluster munitions throughout Ukraine. Bellingcat is an intriguing volunteer group that uses open-source information to collect intelligence on various conflicts. The plethora of information on social media about the war in Ukraine has helped Bellingcat document the indiscriminate use of cluster munitions in residential areas in Kharkiv and other parts of Ukraine (link).

To escape the shelling, many residents have sought shelter in the city’s subway system, and musicians have performed concerts to maintain morale (link). Denys Karachevtsev, a musician in Kharkiv, encapsulated the spirit of resistance when he performed Bach’s Cello Suite No. 5 amongst the ruined streets of the city (link). Contrast it with this beautiful 4k quality walking tour amongst the parks and landmarks of the city before the war. Imagine these were the streets of Cincinnati or Covington!

The Not-So Bad – Nataliya’s Family:

Despite a month of nearly continuous bombardment, Nataliya’s family is still in good health. While we are angry, tired, and tired of being angry, I can barely imagine what a month of terror and privation has felt like. Her parents and brother’s family decided to stay in Kharkiv when Putin launched the invasion a month ago. Nataliya’s brother Michael’s family has stayed in their apartment on the 7th floor of an urban apartment building. They lost water pressure for a few days, so Michael had to carry buckets of water up 7 flights of stairs.

Despite the frequent bombardment, some semblance of normal life continues amidst all the death and destruction. Michael continues to work as an applications developer for Oracle despite sitting in the middle of a war zone. We spoke briefly on via video chat recently and his energetic 5-year-old son Leo was cheerfully running around the apartment and screeching! Michael said people still sit on benches and walk in a nearby park when it seems safe.

“At some point things look like business as usual,” Michael wrote in text. “And sometimes it is not so much. A la guerre comme a la guerre” (French translation: “war is war”).

Nataliya’s parents live in a small village called Pisochyn on the edge of Kharkiv. Food has become scarcer as the fighting as continued. The nearest market is about 20-minute bike ride away and only accepts cash, but the bank only allows people to withdraw a modest amount of money each time. The lines at the bank and market can be 2 hours long.

“We hold on and believe in victory and peace,” her mother Iryna wrote in a text message.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/in-eastern-ukraines-largest-city-pro-russia-sympathies-wither-as-war-looms-11643539633Being so close to Russia, Kharkiv was a hub of Russian cultural influence before the invasion. Nataliya and her family all speak Russian, instead of Ukrainian, as did most other residents. However, the war has destroyed any goodwill towards Russia (link).

The Good (From Cincinnati to Kharkiv With Love):

Cincinnati has organized and will continue to host additional fundraisers and protests in support of Kharkiv, which has been our sister city for more than 30 years. This wonderful 18-minute video highlights the close personal connections between the cities (link).

Nataliya and I are eager to do as much as we can to support Ukraine. It may not seem like much, but we have to do what we can! Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Clifton hosted a beautiful concert with emotional performances by Ukrainian musicians. All Saints Episcopal Church will host another benefit concert on April 23rd at 4p.m. (link). Another protest is planned in Blue Ash soon, and a large fundraiser is tentatively scheduled for April 10. Several dozen volunteers will cook and bake traditional Ukrainian dishes and send the proceeds to Ukraine. I’ll post more details on Facebook as they become certain.

I work at Humana, and many of my colleagues are finding innovative ways to support Ukraine as well. At least one colleague has taken time off work to travel to Poland to assist some of the nearly 4 million refugees who have fled the fighting. We are also asking Humana to divest from any Russian assets or investments the company may have (if applicable).

America has finally agreed to accept 100,000 refugees and continues to send weapons and supplies. President Biden is also considering additional sanctions and has officially accused Putin of committing war crimes. However, we need to keep up the pressure in both DC and Cincinnati until the war stops! Putin must be punished and pay reparations for all the death and destruction he has wrought!

Slava Ukraini!

Women Steal the Show in Raw Deal (1948)

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You can watch a trailer for Raw Deal here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bphmrlpvJJo

Claire Trevor (as Pat Regan) and Marsha Hunt (as Ann Martin) are the real stars in Raw Deal while Dennis O’Keefe (as Joe Sullivan) is overshadowed by the two more dynamic characters. In addition, John Alton’s cinematography is very effective as well.

In my first paper, I lamented the fact that film noir tends to have a very misogynistic attitude towards female characters, and I was delighted to watch a film from the perspective of Pat (who provides the voice-over narration). Furthermore, both Claire Trevor and Marsha Hunt create much deeper characters than Dennis O’Keefe, who is relegated to the typical film noir tough guy role. On the surface, the plot is about Joe’s attempt to escape from prison, kill his betrayer, and flee to South America. However, the real tension is the love triangle between Joe and his two female accomplices/companions. The tension between the women is apparent even before the plot structure is clearly established. Pat throws an icy glare at Anne as she leaves the visiting room at the state prison where Joe is incarcerated, indicating her jealousy of the other woman who dared to visit her man.

After Anne is unwillingly drawn into the escape plan, the trio hit the road in her car. All three of them sit in a row in the front seats; however, the shot helps establish the nature of the relationship. Joe sits behind the steering wheel and is the closest to the camera. Anne sits next to him in the middle seat while Pat is furthest away. This reinforces Pat’s emotional and physical separation from Joe who has never professed his love to Pat (as we discover later). It also places Anne closer to Joe (physically and emotionally) and situates her as an obstacle in between the supposed couple. In addition, the characters are portrayed in descending order, with Joe appearing to be taller and more important than the women with Pat seeming to be the smallest and least powerful.

Pat, Anne, and Joe (left to right) from Senses of Cinema.

Anne is the most dynamic and intriguing character because she experiences the most development. Initially acting as Joe’s good conscious, Anne urges him to turn himself in soon after escaping. Later, Anne, also urges Joe to let the other fugitive hide in the tavern with them and warns Joe that he could share the killer’s same bloody fate (effective foreshadowing). However, her love for Joe gradually corrupts her and she begins to break the law on his behalf. Anne lies to the park ranger who intrudes on their campsite, and Anne even picks up a gun to shoot the hoodlum Fantail (played by John Ireland) during his fistfight with Joe at Grimshaw’s. Shocked by her own capacity for violence, Anne drops the gun and runs distraughtly down the beach.

Pat initially performs an opposing role as Joe’s “devilish” conscious in contrast to Anne’s “angelic” conscious. Pat unsuccessfully encourages Joe to leave the fugitive killer outside the tavern to save himself. While Anne is corrupted during the movie, Pat is partially reformed on the other hand. Pat is tempted to call the police in order to save Joe from being killed in his confrontation with Rick. In the end, she gives in to her own conscious and tells Joe that Rick has captured Anne.

The cinematography of the sequence while Pat wrestles with her own guilty conscious aboard the ship is also quite effective. Shown in profile in a dark cabin, Pat appears to be staring at the clock on the wall even though it’s off to the left side and probably at the edge of her peripheral vision. The light is placed so that the edges of the light shaft line up with the top of her forehead and the bottom of her chin so that it appears the light is shooting straight from her face on to the clock. The light appears to connect her mind to the clock. But the shadow cast by the clock also creates a black shaft (similar to the barrel of a gun) that looms menacingly at her face. Lost in contemplation, the dialogue mostly consists of Joe speaking while some eerie music wafts through the background. A subsequent shot shows Pat’s face reflected in the glass cover of the clock, as time grinds on inevitably. Each second seems like torture, which forces Pat to admit to herself that she would never be happy if she lives in a sham marriage with Joe while he still really loves Anne. She reveals that Rick has captured Anne, and Joe rushes off to his fatal confrontation with Rick.

However, the final scene felt a little forced as Pat miraculously appears at the doorstep of Rick’s liar just as Joe dies in Anne’s embrace. It’s unclear how the police arrested her or why they brought her to Rick’s hideout. It feels like an artificial excuse to reunite the trio for the tragic conclusion.

On the other hand, Joe has very little character growth. In a few disparate pieces of dialogue, Joe and Anne reveal that, as a child, he had once heroically rescued people from a fire. Later he sold the medal he received to buy food which helps explain how he became a hardened criminal. Otherwise, Joe is so stoic to the point that he’s never told Pat he loves her (if indeed he did). For example, he tells Pat she wouldn’t understand why he must mete out revenge on Rick.

Overall, it was very rewarding to see a film noir from a female perspective. It provides a fresh point of view that is a relief from the incessant misogyny of most other examples of film noir. The cinematography helped convey the power dynamics of the love triangle and highlighted various elements of character development.

References

Raw Deal. Directed by Anthony Mann. Performances by Dennis O’Keefe, Claire Trevor, and Marsha Hunt. Eagle Lion Films, 1948.

Misogyny & Gender in Scarlet Street (1945)

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I am taking another film class this semester about American film noir. I wrote essays about two of the films we watched. The first is Scarlet Street (1945) which is based on the 1930 French novel La Chienne (the bitch). A 1931 French film preceded the American adaptation which was directed by Fritz Lang, one of my favorite directors! You can watch Scarlet Street free on Youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNRSxu22NxU

Essay:

As discussed in the first chapter of Foster Hirsch’s The Dark Side of the Screen, film noir conveys a generally misogynistic attitude towards women who are portrayed as duplicitous and seductive. Fritz Lang’s Scarlet Street (1945) is certainly no exception.

Fritz Lang, from Mubi.com

Kitty (Joan Bennett) is a typical femme fatale in Scarlet Street. She manipulates a gullible cashier, Chris Cross (Edward G. Robinson), into stealing from his wife and his employer under false pretense of love. In addition, Kitty acts in a generally low-class and vulgar manner. For example, she reveals her ignorance of art by mispronouncing Cezanne’s name when discussing art with Chris. Furthermore, she is drunken and uncouth. Kitty stays out late drinking with lover Johnny Prince (Dan Duryea) and sleeps in until her friend Milly arrives the next morning to make amends. In the scene when Johnny convinces Kitty to extort Chris, Kitty also rudely spits out a piece of food. This vulgarity is followed by a telling closeup of a sink full of dirty dishes reveals that she is also a poor housekeeper (which would be seen a major failing for a woman in 1945). Kitty was unable or unwilling to maintain regular employment as a model (thus earning the nickname “Lazy Legs”). All of these elements would have persuaded viewers at the time that Kitty was a “failure” as a woman on several fronts.

From IMDB.com

Kitty also degrades herself by staying with Johnny who slaps Kitty on several occasions and takes money from her. He also insults Kitty, and her friend Milly (Margaret Lindsay) points out that Johnny has made Kitty into “a tramp.” Yet, despite these insults, Kitty clings to Johnny and doesn’t reject him in favor of Chris once Homer Higgins returns. The viewer would understand that Kitty is beyond redemption and refuses to even save herself. Kitty uses her sexuality to corrupt Chris. Even Johnny suggests that she is too sexual when he complained that she thought about nothing else. He told her to call a janitor if she needed more “heat” in the apartment since he could not accommodate Kitty’s lust!

Kitty and Chris from the Harvard Film Archive.

Hirsch attributes the misogyny of noir films to several factors, including anxiety about the social change and upheaval resulting from World War II. During the war, 6 million American women entered the workforce to replace men who had gone over seas to fight the Axis powers (“Watch Terrified Men”). Women became more independent which threatened the traditional patriarchal social structure. Released just after World War II had ended in 1945, Scarlet Street vividly captures the contemporary male anxiety. Although most female employees were fired so that returning veterans could reclaim their jobs, many men were clearly concerned that they had already let the cat out of the bag. Kitty, a modern/liberated woman, was the perfect scapegoat.

The other main female character, Adele Cross (Rosalind Ivan), is shown in a very negative light as well. Adele is an overbearing woman who dominates Chris to such a degree that their domestic rolls are “crisscrossed.” Adele berates Chris to do the dishes (which would typically be the wife’s job in 1945) until he meekly complies. Chris also wears a frilly feminine apron while preparing dinner. Ironically, Adele’s favorite radio program is called the “Happy Household Hour,” while the Cross’ domestic relationship is clearly upside down. Adele also belittles Chris’ art and forces him to take his canvases out of the apartment (and inadvertently pushes him into Kitty’s seductive embrace). Adele reveals that Chris was only able to propose marriage to her because she “put the words” in his mouth. Thus, even in the domestic sphere Chris allows himself to be dominated and bullied. Hapless Chris can’t even find refuge in the supposedly safe realm of his own household, where the man was supposed to rule as patriarch. The domineering Adele has usurped his role, thus reflecting the contemporary anxiety that men felt like they were under assault on all fronts.

Kitty’s friend, Milly (Margaret Lindsay), was the only positive or neutral female character in Scarlet Street. Milly acts as the voice of reason by trying to explain to Kitty how Johnny has mistreated her. When the two women argue, she is the first to make amends by offering a bottle of Scotch. Milly also warns Kitty that Johnny has made threats and is on his way back to her apartment to hurt her at the end of the film. Milly acts as a token example that not all women are bullies or seducers. Milly is also gainfully employed in contrast to Kitty. However, her role is very minimal, and she only offers a baseline for acceptable behavior. Milly’s modest behavior contrasts with Adele and Kitty only serves to make them more monstrous. Scarlet Street tells female viewers that they should toe the line and challenge men no further than Milly’s verbal sparring with Johnny.

Scarlet Street thus offers fertile ground for exploring the film noir trend towards misogyny. Shot during the later stages of World War II and released shortly after the fighting stopped, Scarlet Street affirms Hirsch’s thesis that film noir reflected male anxiety about potential gender roles becoming permanently “crisscrossed” as a result of the wartime labor crisis. Kitty was presented as a seductive woman who failed to uphold traditional gender expectations. Adele emasculated her husband and usurped the traditional patriarchal role as head of the household. Similar trends are evident in other films we’ve viewed so far, such as the predatory femme fatale Phyllis (Barbara Stanwyck) in Double Indemnity (1944) and the duplicitous Helen/Velma (Claire Trevor) in Murder, My Sweet (1944).

References

Hirsch, Foster. The Dark Side of the Screen: Film Noir. Cambridge: Da Capo Press, 1981.

McNeary, Allison. “Watch Terrified Men Learn to Deal With Women in the Workforce in WWII.” History.com, March 2, 2018. https://www.history.com/news/women-workforce-wwii-training-video-1940s. Accessed Feb. 3, 2002.

Scarlet Street. Directed by Fritz Lang. Performances by Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennet and Dan Duryea. Fritz Lang Productions, 1945.

Day 10 of the war in Kharkiv, Ukraine

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More than a week into the assault on Kharkiv, the people’s spirit remains unbroken. For the last 10 days, the Russian army has launched missiles, airstrikes and artillery against the city of 1.4 million residents – including my girlfriend Nataliya’s family. Dozens have been killed or injured and some parts of the city are without power, water, or heat. (link) Before the war, Kharkiv was a cultural and economic center renowned for its museums.

Her parents still live on the outskirts of the city and her brother Michael lives in the city itself with his wife Daria and young son Leo, who is autistic. There is some good news that Nataliya’s ex-husband, Vlad, managed to escape Kharkiv and should return to the US soon. He had been visiting his parents in Kharkiv when the war started.

Her parents have been hiding in their cellar to avoid nearby explosions that have caused their windows to rattle. However, the cellar is too cold for them to sleep in overnight. The pet cat and Nataliya’s father have been comforting each other during the bombardment and are inseparable. The power recently went out, but luckily their house is heated by gas.

“We pray every minute,” said Nataliya’s mother, Iryna, via text.

Thankfully, they live on the fringe of the city, so they have some chickens, rabbits, and a small garden. Otherwise, they haven’t been able to go shopping, but a truck delivered a few loaves of bread to the neighborhood one day. All the neighbors are working together to help each other survive. A younger resident goes to the pharmacy to obtain medication for older members of the community. People buy extra supplies and share with anyone who might be running out of essentials.

Michael and his family live in a large apartment building and half of the residents have already fled. They mostly stay indoors except for occasional brief excursions to a small park across the street when things seem quiet. Leo, who is non-verbal, has already started to crack under the stress, even though Michael tried to convince him the explosions were only fireworks. The family wants to stay together but avoids going down into the basement during air raids. Michael fears they might be trapped if the only exit is blocked by debris.

Despite all the difficulties, Michael remains grimly determined.

“There is no need to plan ahead,” he wrote via text message. “When you plan one day at a time, it’s sort of ok, no matter how horrible this sounds. There is joy when you wake up the next day and check for family and friends and you can hear from them. We have hope that…there’ll be enough spirit to break the Russians.”

Although the future remains uncertain, Michael says they plan to stay in Kharkiv since it seems more dangerous to travel by car, especially with a small child who has special needs. However, they do have a plan to evacuate, and their bags are already packed if the need to leave quickly. Daria, Nataliya’s sister in-law, has lived in the same neighborhood in Kharkiv her whole life, so it seems more difficult for her to admit they might need to leave.

I understand the reasoning and realize fleeing wouldn’t be easy. On the other hand, I’m very concerned that the situation could only get worse as Putin gets more desperate. Despite sustaining considerable losses (at least 500 killed, 200 captured, and hundreds of vehicles destroyed or captured) over the first week (link), Putin’s armies have only captured one major city, Kherson, along the Black Sea coast. Kherson is only the 13th largest Ukrainian city with about 280,000 residents before the war.

Although the Russians agreed to temporary local ceasefires in order to allow for civilian evacuations, the first such agreement in the port city of Mariupol collapsed after only a few hours (link). The Ukrainians say the Russians broke the agreement and continued to shell the city as civilians tried to leave.

I’m afraid civilians like Michael and his family will pay the price if Putin ratchets up the violence even more to eke out some meager victory. Putin set a precedent for brutality when he flattened the city of Grozny 20 years ago during the 2nd Chechen War. In doing so, he killed at least 5,000 civilians. (link) With the whole world watching, I hope Putin won’t dare to repeat the atrocity, but we can’t rule it out.

Slava Ukraini!

War in Kharkiv, Ukraine

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Only 45 km (28 miles) from the border with Russia, Kharkiv has been the scene of heavy fighting (link) since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 (Thursday). My girlfriend Nataliya and I have watched with anguish from afar as her homeland and hometown have been subjected to naked Russian aggression.

Nataliya has lived in the United States nearly 20 years, but all her family still lives in or near Kharkiv, including her brother (married with a young son with special needs) and her parents (both retired). Her brother lives on the east side of Kharkiv and says there has been fighting in nearby streets. Her mother and father live in a rural suburb on the west side of Kharkiv and say they can’t sleep at night because of all the explosions. Her mother, Iryna, says they don’t turn on the lights at night because they’re afraid to make themselves a target. Her ex-husband Vlad also returned to Ukraine only days before the fighting started to care for his mother and father who are both in poor health. His mother had surgery shortly before the invasion and was sent home prematurely to make room for anticipated casualties. Vlad has remarried and his wife and stepdaughter are very worried too since it looks like he won’t be returning to northern Kentucky anytime soon.

News reports indicate the Russians bombarded Kharkiv with missiles and artillery before sending in ground forces. A gas pipeline and the local airport were damaged. Fighting erupted throughout the city, but the Ukrainians claimed to have completely repulsed the attack by Feb. 27 (Sunday). But on Monday, Russian artillery has started to pound residential areas in Kharkiv (as seen in the video) killing dozens which flatly contradicts naked Russian lies that they target “only military objects.”

Kharkiv is a major cultural and economic hub and is the 2nd largest city in Ukraine. Founded in 1654, Kharkiv was the capital city before Kyiv rose to prominence in 1934.

Known for its beautiful churches and magnificent museums, Kharkiv is also a sister city of Cincinnati. Mayor Aftab Purval has offered assistance (link) to any Ukrainian refugees who may eventually arrive in Cincinnati. St. John’s Unitarian Universalist Church has already begun to raise funds to help as well. A rally is planned on Fountain Square at 3 p.m. Monday (Feb. 28) with Mayor Purval speaking at 4 p.m. More than 500,000 people have already fled the fighting in Ukraine. Please make a donation to any relevant humanitarian group if you are in a position to do so!

Kharkiv is 5,300 miles away and is separated from Cincinnati by 7 time zones, so the flow of information has been very slow. I had started to sleep much better in recent months after suffering from COVID-somnia but have had very little sleep the last few nights.

Nataliya and I had been planning a visit to Ukraine to spend time with her family in Kharkiv. I only met Nataliya’s mother briefly when she visited Cincinnati in 2019, but I say a few words whenever Nataliya chats with her over Facetime. I’ve been taking some rudimentary Russian language classes through the Babel app. Being so close to the border with Russia, Kharkiv is one of the regions in Ukraine where Russian is more common. Ukrainian and Russian are very similar (link), and both use the Cyrillic alphabet; as a result, many Ukrainians are bi-lingual. About 68% of the population primarily speaks Ukrainian while 30% speak Russian and the remainder speak other languages.

Nataliya’s son Alex speaks Russian at home and usually visits both sets of his grandparents every summer. Alex doesn’t understand the scope of the war and, in his youthful naivete, expects to return this year as soon as the shooting stops! Nataliya’s parents live on the more rural edge of Kharkiv, so they have a little garden, some chickens, and rabbits whom Alex loves! He was heartbroken when the furry matriarch recently died.

I have been awed by the dogged Ukrainian resistance in the face of nearly 200,000 Russian troops. But, there are suspicions that Belarus (a close ally of Russia) might send troops to fight alongside Russia (link) in Ukraine. So far, Belarus has only facilitated the invasion by allowing Russian troops to cross through Belarus in order to attack Ukraine.

My first interest in history arose was based in military history and especially World War II. That background makes me painfully aware of the suffering this war is causing. Therefore, I am an advocate for peace, which is one of the seven principles of Unitarian Universalism (link). So, I feel guilty when I take smug satisfaction after seeing videos of burned-out Russian tanks and armored vehicles on the streets of Ukraine. However, I realize this is Putin’s war and not a war the Russian people wanted.

As shown by recent massive peace protests in 48 Russian cities (link), many Russian people abhor war. Especially when thousands or perhaps tens of thousands of young Russians will die as result of an illegal and unjust war that Putin unleashed.

No major Ukrainian city has been captured yet and the tyrant Putin agreed to negotiate with Ukraine. I doubt that the diplomatic talks will lead to much progress, especially while Russian troops are still killing innocent civilians in Ukraine. It seems unlikely that domestic protests or international sanctions will topple Putin either, since he has weathered both before. Perhaps this situation is different?

Living with Cancer for 5 years

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Five years after being diagnosed with cancer, and I am still on the treatment “treadmill.” I was originally diagnosed with Stage 4 non-small cell ALK-positive lung cancer shortly after Christmas 2016.

This 5-year status update for my “cancerversary” is a little overdue because the results of my MRI scan in November of last year were ambiguous. I had another scan in January and was hoping for a little more clarity, but the results were still not clear-cut. I decided to provide an update anyway. The combination of targeted daily medication and several rounds of radiation therapy have kept things mostly stable for the last several years.

The MRI from November 2021 was a scan of my head and spine since I had two small metastatic tumors in my brain that were successfully treated via proton therapy when I was initially diagnosed. I also have a small lesion on my spine as well that has persisted despite all the treatment. My November 2021 MRI showed that the spine lesion had grown about 5mm compared to a scan 12 months prior. However, the lesion was basically unchanged compared to the most recent MRI 6 months prior. Although not alarming, 5mm growth over 12 months is somewhat concerning since I would prefer to have no growth at all!

In addition, the MRI showed some possible growth of the small lesion in my brain that had been treated 5 years ago. My radiation oncologist consulted with the tumor board and the initial assessment was that a new separate tumor had appeared. The radiation oncologist ordered another MRI in January to get a better idea if anything was actually growing since the change seemed to be so minimal.

I left this unappetizing morsel of information to simmer on the back burner for the next two months. I have had a lot of experience with similar situations during the last 5 years, so I only had a small meltdown around Thanksgiving. But that was mostly due to exhaustion from my ongoing insomnia.

I had another MRI in January, and the radiologist eventually judged that the brain tumor had increased “slightly.” The spine tumor was unchanged compared to the November scan but still about 5mm larger than it was a year ago. I was a little anxious, but at the same time it wasn’t entirely bad news either.

Can there be too many cooks in the kitchen?

The matter is further complicated by the fact that the initial radiation oncologist only deals with my brain tumors while I have a second radiation oncologist who is responsible for treating my original lung tumor and spine. Plus, I have a general oncologist who is the closest to being the “captain” of my treatment team. I would rather have 3 experts who are hyper-specialized rather than 1 or 2 generalists that try to do everything. But it still isn’t easy to get 3 doctors to agree on anything, especially something where the evidence is so marginal!

My brain oncologist was more concerned about the possible growth than my lung or general oncologists. I am not panicked about it, but I will remain vigilant. There are possible side-effects from using radiation to treat my spine, such as possible bone fractures, so I don’t want to jump the gun. But at the same time, I don’t want to let the cancer gain any ground. After further discussions, I told my doctors I would hold off from treatment from now, but that I want to pull the trigger if it continues to grow. If I do need more treatment, the doctors said it would be quick and uncomplicated since the bone of my spinal discs provides an additional “buffer” zone. Proton therapy can target the tumors very precisely without damaging any nearby tissue. If I do need more radiation in the future, that will be my third round after my initial treatment in early 2017 and a second round in 2020 to treat my primary lung tumor.

After 5 years, the treadmill of treatment continues. I still get MRI scans every 6 months and CT scans every 3 months that show my lung tumor has responded well to treatment. I take a pill every day and get my blood drawn every month (the results have been stable recently). The routine never lets me forget that I am merely mortal. Five years later, I still need to perform daily vocal exercises after the cancer partially paralyzed my vocal cords. Every time I shave, I still carefully maneuver around the concave scar on my neck that resulted from surgery to repair my vocal cords. The fact that I’m still in treatment probably seems outlandish compared to the average length of chemotherapy treatment of approximately 3 – 6 months.

I still attend a monthly young adult cancer support group. There’s another person whose cancer experience continues to be a years-long marathon like mine, but most of the other members talk about readjusting to the “new normal” of post-treatment life.

I often lament that it would a nice problem to have! However, there currently is no cure for ALK+ cancer – only treatment that hopefully continues to control it. Nevertheless, the average survival rate is still slightly under 7 years even on medication, and only 2 years remain before I hit that milestone. Research continues to seek new treatment options – especially for ways to tackle ALK+ cancer when it develops mutations that circumvent the current medications. The good news is that clinical trials are already underway in case I should ever need new medication. Thanks to everyone who donates to my annual fundraiser!

I can still hear clock ticking, and feel the last 5 years have been borrowed time. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has also side-tracked the last 2 years, but hopefully the situation will finally settle down into another “new normal” as well. The combination of COVID-19 and stage 4 cancer was particularly terrifying before the vaccine was distributed. These two factors were undoubtedly the cause of my “COVID-somnia” which suddenly appeared in 2020. Despite my 20-year history of sleep apnea, I never really had a problem staying asleep until COVID arrived. But, for the last two years, I’ve been unable to fall back asleep if I wake up during the night (which I almost always do). Only now is my sleep quality approaching a “new normal,” although I still have periods of insomnia and extreme fatigue.

Despite the uncertainty, I have been blessed with many positive opportunities as well during the last 5 years. In 2018, I finally returned to Paris with my family after first visiting nearly 20 years prior. I had dreamt about it for years and finally made it come true. We plan to visit again in the fall of 2022 (a birthday present for myself to celebrate my 40th) after COVID delayed us for two years. I also visited New Orleans with my dad and uncle. Nataliya has been a supportive and loving partner for the last 3 years! We are looking forward to finally getting on the road again together this spring and summer as well! More recently, I have been refreshing my French conversation skills and acting as “game master” for several role-playing games. I am also lucky to have a good job and excellent insurance (which covers the insanely criminal $17,000 monthly cost of my medication). I’ve even found a few truly 0% ABV “beers” that are a reasonable approximation of beer, such as Hairless Dog Brewing and Heineken 0.0, since I still can’t drink real beer (a side-effect of my medication). It’s been so long I don’t even miss the real thing any more!

The last 5 years have been a gift, and with any luck there will be many more!

Memory and Forgetting in Hiroshima Mon Amour (1959)

~ pmglasser ~ Leave a comment

I haven’t updated this blog recently, so I thought I would share some of my academic writing. Since I’m still spending a lot of time at home due to COVID-19, I have been taking some classes at the University of Cincinnati. In the fall of 2021, I took a French studies class about French film and TV. I wrote a series of short response papers and the first paper is about the 1959 romantic drama Hiroshima Mon Amour which tells the story of a 36-hour love affair between a Japanese architect and a French actress.

I thought director Alain Resnais’ use of perspective to create a sense of intimacy or, conversely, emotional distance in Hiroshima Mon Amour was very effective. I noticed that Resnais used a lot of extreme close-ups in the first half of the film the first time I watched it; however, I didn’t notice that he had used wider shots in the second half, especially for “Her” memories of a wartime affair with a German soldier, until our class discussion. Although we discussed in class how the longer shots created a sense of voyeurism, I feel that using a longer lens also served other functions as well.

She/Nevers (Emmanuelle Riva, left) and He/Hiroshima (Eiji Okada, right).

First, the two main characters, “Her”/”Nevers” (Emmanuelle Riva) and “Him”/”Hiroshima” (Eiji Okada), remain universal/anonymous throughout the film, and the long-distance shots also help to reinforce the anonymous and universal nature of “Her” love affair with the German soldier (who is also never named). The very wide shots do not provide the viewer with many details of the two lovers. The lack of specificity permits the viewer to fill in blanks themselves. Only 15 years had passed since the events in question occurred, and most viewers in 1959 had probably lived through the Liberation. Many viewers at the time had probably witnessed similar events in their towns, or at least heard about something similar, to what “She” experienced when her neighbors punished her (by shaving her head) for engaging in “horizontal collaboration” with the German soldier. Some viewers might have had friends or family members who had made similar transgressions or received similar punishments. The use of wider shots to obscure the details of “Her” memory made it easier for viewers to relate to the story.

Example long shot of She/Nevers and The German.

Furthermore, the very wide shots used to recall “Her” memories of the German could also signify that “She” was actually starting to forget the exact details of the events herself. The events occurred 15 years ago, and, although they were traumatic, “She” likely cannot remember every detail of every rendezvous. As she says in the film, Nevers is already starting to remember things less clearly, such as the details of her German lover’s eyes and voice. The details of her flashbacks are also obscured through the use of very long shots where no distinguishing details can be discerned by the viewer.

References

Hiroshima Mon Amour. Directed by Alain Resnais, performances by Emmanuelle Riva, and Eiji Okada. Daiei, 1959.